Lights in the night

4 blackouts in a year. One in NYC, two in Ann Arbor, and one in Singapore. Just brilliant.

I was listening to my discman when the lights went, and I thought, here we go again. Blistering hot, and no wind. I carried my discman around (the music of "Infernal Affairs" was playing) and reached clumsily for my battery-operated nightlight. I hadn't used it in a while, but the batteries were still inside and still working. So I plucked the star-shaped light and headed out of my room in search of my parents and brother. LK was staying the night at his place and I was glad because he wouldn't be able to sleep in this heat, not that I would either, I'd be grumbling to no end.

My father was fumbling with the house alarm, and my brother, his diving torchlights. So I brought over my little star to help my dad. Starlight, star bright... .

After that, I began lighting candles in my room while my brother passed round his cache of diving torchlights. I have a huge candle from Bath and Body Works, something I purchased with Lin Kiat in Ann Arbor in 1999. It stood unwrapped for the past five years till tonight. Its wonderful scent was unleashed and there's now a little depression where some wax has melted.

I threw open the windows but no wind blew. Just darkness all around and voices from the neighboring houses. Finally, I decided to take a shower that I'm glad I wasn't taking when the lights went out. It cooled me down somewhat and then the lights returned.

Folks were cheering outside, and then LK sent me a message saying he'd had a blackout in Clementi too. I wonder how many places in Singapore were affected.

At least the blackout didn't last too long, and I didn't have class the next morning.

Posted by Monoceros at June 29, 2004 11:25 AM